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More work, more pay

Interviews and photos by Michael Lipkin
for The Brooklyn Paper

State Sen. Marty Connor is pushing a bill that would to raise lawmakers’ salaries in exchange for them putting in regular full-time work weeks all year long. He believes the public will understand and support the bill, but his Democratic rival, Daniel Squadron, said Connor “would be hard pressed to find a single New Yorker who agrees [that] he should get a $52,000 bonus just for doing the job he was elected to do.” To find out who’s right, we hit the streets.

The Brooklyn Paper / Michael Lipkin
Abi Cohen, 29, Brooklyn Heights, graduate student
I don’t care honestly. The $80,000 that our legislators make is more than I make, but it’s not that much. They have all that money on the side anyway, so it’s not that big of a deal.

The Brooklyn Paper / Michael Lipkin
Julie Creavin, 43, Brooklyn Heights, fashion designer
Wouldn’t it make sense to pay them less [for] part time, which they seem to be doing now? It’d make more fiscal sense for the state to keep the money. Do they really need 40 hours a week to get that done?

The Brooklyn Paper / Michael Lipkin
Ed Kelly, 43, Sunset Park, computer technician
I don’t like the fact that they have jobs that can be distractions from representing us. The more they get paid, the more potential they have to be effective. They’ve gotta show progress though.

The Brooklyn Paper / Michael Lipkin
Karen Robinson, 45, Brooklyn Heights, education consultant
If they’re successful as a part-time body, why change the system? But if they’re getting distracted, then they should get paid more if it keeps their focus on being a senator.

The Brooklyn Paper / Michael Lipkin
Robert Stuart, 24, Brooklyn Heights, student
I’d like to know what they’re doing for [the money]. If they’re changing the world and making it a better place, give them what they want. If working full-time helps them do that, then go for it.

©2008 The Brooklyn Paper

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